In many ways, the acoustic guitar is the ultimate in creative convenience—you can pick it up wherever you are, maybe your couch or your patio, or take it with you somewhere like the beach, and just start strumming—no need to set up any equipment. You don’t have to leave it there, though—under the surface of that elegant simplicity lie a number of important choices that can make your acoustic performance that much more sublime.

We put a list of recommendations together for players who want to give their acoustic guitar and their playing experience some extra love.

Check it out below.

STRINGS

Strings are your first point of contact with your instrument—don’t treat them as an afterthought. Dunlop Acoustic Guitar Strings have been specifically engineered to project evenness and clarity across the range of the acoustic guitar. They come in two different styles: Phosphor Bronze, for rich warmth and depth, and 80/20 Bronze for vibrant, expressive clarity. Both sets are designed for comfort and for physical and tonal durability—they break in fast and sound great for a good long while so that you can spend more time playing and less time changing your strings.

SPECIALTY PICKS

If you play your acoustic guitar with a pick, then that’s your next point of contact with the instrument, and just as demanding of careful consideration. The acoustic guitar sounds different from an electric guitar, and it plays differently, too—make sure you find a pick that’s going to bring your favorite acoustic guitar to life. Thankfully, we make quite a few that will do that quite nicely. If you’re feeling experimental, check out our Acoustic Pick Variety Pack for a collection of picks that will awaken the true richness and resonance of your instrument.

In particular, we recommend Ultex® Standard Picks and Primetone® Picks. Ultex Standard Picks project loudly and clearly, making them a great choice for singer-songwriters belting out their vocals. Try out different gauges to find the tone and feel that work for you. Primetone Sculpted Plectra also provide excellent volume and clarity—they’re made from the same Ultex material—but they’re especially great for players who need to play fast with little resistance. Designed with a sculpted beveled edge, Primetone Picks play with the smooth, comfortable feel of a pick that’s worn its way through countless sessions of blissful play. If you’re into bluegrass, or are looking to try a new technique, check out the version with grip, but if you’re a jazzer, you might be more interested in the non-grip version for its warmer attack. Primetone Picks are available in many shapes and gauges for a variety of styles and tones, and each has that nice, smooth-feeling sculpted bevel.

THUMBPICKS & FINGERPICKS

If you play with your fingers, do yourself a favor and try out some fingerpicks and thumbpicks—you might discover a whole new voice inside your instrument. For a tiny investment, you can pick up one of our Player’s Packs—each includes 3 fingerpicks—index, middle, and ring—and a thumbpick.

CAPOS

Capos are a no-brainer for acoustic guitar players. Many classic songs rely on a capo for key changes, so having one on hand will help you ramp up your repertoire with songs that everyone can sing along to. We make a full range of capos at every price point, including our most popular Acoustic Trigger® Capo, which allows for fast-and-easy key changes.

SLIDES

Another classic accompaniment to the acoustic guitar, the slide adds a whole new layer of expressiveness and feel. This was demonstrated by none more brilliantly than the original blues greats, who used slides to elicit the full range of human emotion form their instruments, from yearning excitement to deep sorrow. Our Brass and Chrome Slides are the best choice for acoustic guitars with weights and tones that complement the thicker gauges and different materials used for acoustic guitar strings.

STRAPS

Straps offer a little more freedom to move around. We offer a full range of comfortable options at every price point, from elegant genuine leather and high quality jacquard-woven fabric with stylish designs to simple, classic nylon. Each features genuine leather ends. And if you’re using a strap, the best upgrade you can make to your acoustic guitar is to install a set of Straplok® Strap Retainers for ultimate security.

CLEANER

Keep your instrument clean with our Formula 65™ Cleaner-Polish. It’s long been the cleaner of choice for some of the most respected road techs in the business. Safe for most finishes, Formula 65 Cleaner-Polish guarantees a fresh playing experience every time you pick up your guitar and also ensures its long-term health.

TOOLS

Changing strings can be a headache, especially on acoustic guitars, but the System 65™ Guitar String Change Kit contains everything you need for a pain-free process: A String Cutter that easily goes through heavy strings, a Stringwinder so you can quickly wind up without tiring your wrist, Superlube™ Gel to keep your strings from catching in either the nut or saddles, and a hex Multi-Tool in case you need to give your truss rod a quick tweak. Oh, and it also includes a polish cloth for your Formula 65 Polish-Cleaner.

RECORDING

If you want to capture the rich resonance of your acoustic guitar on a recording, then make sure you’re set up properly. First, you want a clean signal, and MXR® Pro Series Instrument Cables are well-insulated to keep noise out—even that generated by computers. The MXR Bass Preamp features an XLR out for direct recording, and it gives you amazing control over your EQ. Despite its name, the pedal’s wide frequency range makes it great for acoustic guitars. You can even use the ¼” out alongside the XLR out to get different tones, mixing the two signals together or panning them left and right. The MXR Reverb is indispensable for recreating that lush sound of an acoustic guitar within an enclosed physical space, and finally, the MXR Studio Compressor gives you a ton of control over the dynamics of your signal, and it’s way better than any plugin in its price range.

We hope these recommendations bring new life to your acoustic experience. Don’t forget to share the share the magic with your family, friends, and beyond.